House hacking is a great way to get started.

If you are just getting started here in Chicago, house hacking is the ideal situation.

Appreciate the kind words.Looking to 2025, my #1 goal is to expand my portfolio by purchasing and house hacking a second 3-4 flat.

Also, the term "house hacking" is generally used for your owner occupied home (renting out rooms in your primary home) and that income cannot be used to help you qualify (it is considered boarder income). 

The limit is "three unrelated people" and cousins are not considered related under this code.

Get the house hack under contract and closed first. 

The only thing that bests fear is courage and we only need a mustard seed of that to get things going...People often spend money on college and never go in to the field they spent that money on...the greatest lessons and the ones most remembered are learned 'on the job'.Wishing you more good news in the future and an exceptional 2025. 

Congrats on what you have accomplished already! 

The strategy I'm following for my first house hack is to acquire a multifamily property (duplex, triplex, quadplex) or SFH w/ an ADU (or potential for an ADU) as I am mainly looking to simultaneously acquire my first property and subsidize my mortgage payment.

In fact, I’d like to turn the primary into a rental and then house hack in a multi-unit.